With a scream, Vivian Ouyang's boyfriend dashed madly downstairs, while Rachel Lan and Vivian Ouyang were seized by the wraith.
"How should I eat you both?"
The wraith grinned wickedly, and Vivian Ouyang began to cry, deeply distraught.
Suddenly, Rachel Lan pulled a Spirit Charm from her pocket and slapped it directly onto the wraith's forehead.
With a screech, the wraith howled and released them both.
"Vivian, run!" Rachel Lan grabbed Vivian Ouyang and turned to sprint upstairs.
"This way, Rachel, this way!"
After reaching the upper floor, the two hurried down the left corridor. When they entered a room, Vivian Ouyang could run no further.
"Vivian, what exactly did you do?"
Rachel Lan began to cry.
Only then did Rachel Lan learn that after entering, they found an urn sealed with a talisman in the basement. Vivian Ouyang tried to stop them, but they still opened the urn.
Strange things began to happen. The group seemed to lose their way, unable to leave the factory. Then, one by one, the students disappeared. Vivian Ouyang sensed the wraith dragging her boyfriend along, fleeing constantly over the past three days.
Even during the day, they couldn't escape the factory.
"He's coming again," Vivian Ouyang said anxiously. Rachel Lan then carried Vivian Ouyang on her back.
"Rachel, this time go right."
After leaving the room, they headed to the right. Sure enough, wicked laughter echoed from inside.
"Not bad, little girl. You're quite special, and you escaped again. But hide-and-seek is my favorite game."
Rachel Lan carried Vivian Ouyang straight up to the third floor.
"Rachel, why aren't we going downstairs?"
"No. I've read a lot about wraiths. That thing is no ordinary ghost. If we go down to the first floor, it's too open—we won't be able to escape. If we hold out until daylight, maybe there's a chance."
The two started running again, but judging from Vivian Ouyang's state, the food they'd brought over the past three days was already gone—Vivian hadn't eaten anything for a whole day.
"Hang in there, Vivian. If you can't run, just stay here. If that wraith comes, I'll lead him away."
"Rachel, you..." Suddenly, Vivian's expression changed dramatically as she pointed at the wall.
"Here, Vivian. When I left home, I brought two Spirit Charms my father gave me. Take them." Rachel said, handing the Spirit Charm to Vivian Ouyang before running out of the room.
"Come and get me! I'm right here!"
With that, she dashed downstairs.
In an instant, the wraith appeared before Rachel Lan.
"Heh heh, run! Keep running!"
Rachel Lan turned and ran, but suddenly, she saw the path ahead vanish.
"It's an illusion."
Without hesitation, Rachel Lan charged forward. Sure enough, the ground beneath her feet felt solid.
"Little girl, you have a very special scent—like someone from the Hades Circle. You must taste good. I'll play with you a bit longer."
Rachel Lan knew perfectly well that the wraith could easily kill them if it wanted, but for now, it just wanted to toy with them. They were temporarily safe.
Exhausted, Rachel Lan leaned against the wall, gasping for breath. The wraith was nearby, its laughter echoing endlessly through the corridor.
Suddenly, Rachel Lan saw a swarm of cockroaches on the floor. Startled, she dropped her flashlight.
More and more cockroaches seemed to erupt from the ground. Rachel Lan quickly sat cross-legged, knowing it was an illusion, but the sensation on her skin made her visibly afraid.
A soft gasp came from nearby. Rachel Lan opened her eyes and grabbed her flashlight from the pile of cockroaches. By now, her entire body was crawling with them—even her cheeks.
Rachel Lan was about to lose control.
"Why aren't you afraid, little girl?" The wraith's voice echoed. Rachel Lan followed the sound, shining her flashlight toward it.
She screamed in terror, her face drained of color. On the ground lay a rotten human head, mouth agape, with cockroaches crawling out of it.
Finally, the fear inside Rachel Lan overwhelmed her—she screamed and bolted.
Rachel Lan kept slapping cockroaches off her body as she ran through the pitch-black corridor.
"Enough. I won't play with you anymore. I'll play with you later—let me find the other girl first."
The cockroaches vanished, and the strange sensation disappeared. Rachel Lan breathed a sigh of relief, then hurried downstairs—the wraith had gone to find Vivian Ouyang.
A scream—Vivian Ouyang's. Rachel Lan rushed into the room.
She saw the wraith, its whole body glowing with a ghostly red light, grinning with its mouth wide open.
"I'll eat you first."
"Vivian, shove the charm into its mouth!"
Suddenly, Rachel Lan shouted. Vivian Ouyang reached out, holding the Spirit Charm, and shoved it into the wraith's mouth.
With a howl, the wraith screamed, blue smoke pouring from its body. Rachel Lan ran over, grabbed Vivian Ouyang, and carried her away.
They quickly ran downstairs to the first floor, dashing toward the exit in the empty factory.
A furious, resentful scream erupted, and the entire factory shook violently. Rachel Lan carried Vivian Ouyang, desperately running for the door.
"It hurts! Fine, the game is over. Now I'll eat you both." The wraith's voice echoed as it suddenly emerged from the ground, its face scorched, blood mixed with green fluid dripping down.
"Like a serpent emerging from its cave—entwined, not just in sight..." Suddenly, Rachel Lan pulled a Paper Serpent from her pocket. A burst of yellow light flashed, and the serpent grew larger, wrapping itself completely around the wraith.
Rachel Lan immediately ran, bursting out of the factory. In the yard outside, she saw a Spirit Veil lying on the ground.
"What is this, Rachel?"
"We did it, Vivian! We can get out—it's our first time, though."
Rachel Lan followed the Spirit Veil, running ahead. The veil wound like a path, twisting and turning.
At last, they reached the end. A wall blocked their way, but Rachel Lan knew this was the way out.
"You think you can leave? Not so easy."
Rachel Lan felt a sudden pull on her back. She turned—Vivian Ouyang was being grabbed by the wraith, yanked off her back.
"Vivian!" Rachel Lan cried out. The wraith looked furious.
Rachel Lan charged forward without hesitation.
Vivian Ouyang screamed as the wraith pulled at her arm.
"Silk and satin—go!" Rachel Lan thrust out her hand, and a Spirit Veil shot forward, wrapping around the wraith's hand.
"Let her go!"
Rachel Lan screamed, pulling the Spirit Veil tight. The wraith released its grip.
"All four beasts assembled, no divine glory—Vermilion Bird, flame..."
With a roar, fire burst from Rachel Lan's hand, striking the wraith's chest. The wraith released Vivian Ouyang with a scream.
Rachel Lan seized the chance, grabbing Vivian Ouyang and running for her life. Suddenly, a whistling sound came from behind.
"Rachel..." Vivian Ouyang cried out as Rachel Lan set her down. Steel rods shot toward them, and with a hiss, one pierced Rachel Lan, knocking her into a pool of blood.
"Rachel, Rachel..." Vivian Ouyang ran over. Rachel Lan lay on the ground, barely alive.
"I'm sorry, Rachel. I'm sorry. I should've listened to you. I'm sorry!" Vivian Ouyang sobbed and screamed.
Rachel Lan smiled and shook her head.
"It's okay, Vivian. Now... what I owed you, I've repaid."
"Don't say that, don't say that, Rachel!" Vivian Ouyang cried loudly as Rachel Lan smiled, reaching out her hand.
"Vivian, run..."
At that moment, Vivian Ouyang picked up Rachel Lan and started running.
"Courting death..." The wraith chased after them.
A rustling sound—suddenly, the wall ahead vanished. A man appeared: Walter Wu, the man from the Hades Circle. But now, he looked younger. Rachel Lan had said he'd helped her many times before.
In an instant, the wraith was bound by the Spirit Veil, unable to move.
"I'll deal with you later."
Vivian Ouyang sobbed as Walter Wu walked over.
"Don't cry, little girl. It's alright. People from the Hades Circle can't die—at least, not until their mission is done."
Suddenly, Walter Wu reached out and forcefully pulled the steel rods from Vivian Ouyang's body, causing Rachel Lan to faint from pain.
Walter Wu knelt down, took Rachel Lan's arm, while Vivian Ouyang cried and beat at him with her hands.
"Stop fussing, little girl." Walter Wu said, taking out a Spirit Token and pressing it to Rachel Lan's arm. Instantly, light flared—her wounds began to heal, and the blood seemed to flow back into her body as if time were reversing.
Soon, the members of the Ghost Burial Squad arrived. Rachel Lan was still unconscious, and Vivian Ouyang continued to sob.
Afterward, Rachel Lan learned about the existence of the Ghost Burial Squad. She began to accept her destiny and, with Walter Wu's help, learned how to collect souls.
From time to time, she would seek out the troublesome cases that Ethan Hu mentioned and bring them to the Ghost Burial Squad. Over time, although the squad members were harsh with their words, whenever Rachel Lan called, they would show up.
After that incident, Vivian Ouyang never went back to university. Instead, she joined the Ghost Burial Squad.
The memory ended. Darkness returned all around. Vivian Ouyang was still crouched on the ground, quietly sobbing. I walked over slowly.
"It's alright. It will be alright."
Vivian Ouyang looked up, her dark eyes staring at me.
"Trust me, everything will be alright. You've both survived so many storms—I will find a way to help you. Whatever is inside your body, god or ghost..."